First it is important to understand that you don’t have to be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to have experienced trauma.
Trauma, explained simply, is when one has an experience that overwhelms their brain to a point where they struggle to cope, both in the moment and after the traumatic experience.
Everyone’s ability to cope is different in varying circumstances. Our brains can often acknowledge, process, and recover when difficult events happen. However, in times when someone experiences an event that is extremely distressing, or chronically distressing, our normal coping does not suffice. We then create new ways of coping that may offer some sense of safety and protection for us in the moment, but as time goes on these coping tools are no longer helpful.
Types of trauma
Single Event In the Past
Some examples of this would be:
- A car accident
- Sexual or physical abuse
- Serious injury from an animal attack
- Mugging
Single Event Recently
These would include the same things from the list above, but this would have been a recent event.
Chronic/Reoccurring Event
This type of trauma would be something that happened multiple times over an extended period of time.
Some examples would be:
– Domestic violence
– Dating violence
– War or political violence
– Bullying
This could also be something that first responders/medical professionals experience in their field.
Relational Trauma
If you grew up in a family where you never felt like you were good enough and/or never felt worthy, this can lead to something called relational trauma. Our interpersonal relationships, now and in the past, can be related to our thought patterns, emotions, and behaviours. This can lead the person who experienced this kind of trauma to feel bad about themselves in everyday relationships.
Symptoms of Trauma
Whilst this list is in no way exhaustive, these are some of the most commonly experienced symptoms of trauma.
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Feeling helpless
-Feeling unhappy/different than you used to feel
-Flashbacks (reoccurring pictures/thoughts that are upsetting from the event)
-Bad dreams/Nightmares
-Experiencing physical reactions when reminded by the trauma event (ex. siren, photo, door slamming).
-Becoming easily angered
How can therapy help those who have experienced trauma?
The goal of therapy is for the client to learn tools to cope. It also gives the client a better understanding of how their current coping is trying to protect them. It also gives them an opportunity to challenge any negative thoughts they may have about themselves and most importantly to process what happened.
For some, sharing their story in a safe place with guidance can relieve the effects, others may need more support. This is important to talk to a therapist about.
Final thoughts about trauma
If you feel you have experienced trauma, even if people have told you it isn’t significant, it is important to seek the help of a trained mental health professional. Left untreated, trauma and our response to trauma, will get worse over time. We need to process the experience under the guidance of a professional and learn the appropriate and most healthy ways to cope with our experiences.
Written by,
Sarah Potvin, Registered Psychotherapist
Brant Mental Health Solutions